The present invention relates to a high efficiency fuel-saving drawer type steam cabinet, and more particularly to a steam cabinet exclusively designed for steaming and keeping warm various types of soup.
The steam cabinets available in the market are essentially divided into two types. In the first type of cabinet, which is for steaming stuffed buns, dumplings and similar edibles, a door is provided at the front panel to provide access for placing food in and removing the food when opened, and for sealing the cabinet housing when shut, so to keep the steam from escaping, as disclosed in another utility model application pending (Application No. 78210395) by this same applicant. The second type is for steaming soups generally seen in snack shops. Within such a cabinet, multiple drawer segregation layers are provided, each layer accommodating a drawer bin with dishes or cups to be placed above the bin. Each bin can be separately pulled out when the soup desired is ordered.
By referring to FIG. 1, a hollow chamber is provided inside a drawer type steam cabinet housing (1) of the prior art, and multiple rails are relatively provided on the upper and lower edges of inner walls on both sides of the chamber to form several separation layers or compartments for drawers (11). A drawer bin (12) for holding soup dishes (13) to be steamed can be inserted into each layered compartment, a pot (2) containing boiling water is provided below the steam cabinet, and a heating oven fixture (3) is placed below the pot (2). Steam generated by the water in the pot (2) when heated by the oven fixture (3) passes through pores distributed on the bottom of the bin (12) of each layer, and gradually rises up to cause food in the dishes (13) to cook and keep warm the food.
The prior art has the following defects:
1. It has poor steaming effects and usually serves at best to keep the food warm because, when the bin is placed inside the housing (1), there is a gap between the open end of the housing (1) and the bin (12), so that the steam still manages to escape from each drawer layer, thus preventing the temperature in the bins from rising to 100.degree. C. (generally staying between the range of 80.degree. C..about.90.degree. C.). As a result, steaming usually takes a longer time and soup must be boiled before being put into the cabinet for keeping warm. In practice, the conventional drawer-type steam cabinet does not provide the function of steaming the food.
2. The fire from the oven fixture (3) provides low heating efficiency for the pot (2), that is, part of the hot air and the waste gas discharged from heating the pot (2) by such fire is not reclaimed, resulting in a great waste of fuel energy.
3. The prior art cabinet requires attention to refilling of water to the pot (2). When the water in the pot (2) is about to be used up, the pot (2) has to be removed for the refill. Such a process presents hazards of being burned by boiling water for the operator, making the water refill an inconvenient operation.
Despite having been provided with multiple drawer layers for accommodating several steam bins to steam (or actually keep warm) various types of soup dishes, the absence of a good air-tight contact between the bins, and between the front end of the steam bins and the opening of the housing of the prior art cabinet, prevents real steaming effects of the type obtained by a door type of steam cabinet. Therefore, there is a need for a drawer type steam cabinet that provides air-tight separation for each layer of drawer type steam bins, and effective reclaiming of fuel waste gas to promote the energy consumption.